Too Long Now
by l.should.have.known
Summary: It's been over six years since she last spoke to her family. So when her sister arrives suddenly with bad news is Callie willing to accept them back into her life, or is it too late? Calzone.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Ok, so this is something I've been playing with for a week or so, I have a few ideas on where to take it, but feel free to throw more my way :-) I have a month or so off, so I'll have time to write for a while at least. Please review and let me know what you think :-)

One last thing, this is set six or so years into the future.

**Too Long Now**

**Chapter 1.**

Callie woke suddenly, confused but alert, there was someone pounding on the front door, she quickly made her way toward it, hoping no one else was woken by the noise. She glanced at the time as she passed through the kitchen, twenty past five, she shook her head.

"Do you realise what time it – Aria?" Callie looked over her sister, unsure of what to make of her presence. "What are you doing here?"

"Can we talk inside, please, it's freezing!"

"Sure, but keep your voice down, I don't really want to wake the whole house." Callie nodded standing aside and pointing to the lounge room.

"Ooh, does my little sister have _company_?" Aria asked with a wicked grin, Callie laughed. "What?"

"Sorry, it's just that I live a very different life now than I did when I last saw you."

"What do you mean?"

"Take a look around Aria, I'm fairly sure this place speaks for itself."

Aria took the time to look around the room, there was an overflowing toy box in one corner, a family portrait hung on the wall among a collection of photos. Aria crossed the room to get a better look at the photos, she examined them closely then turned back to her sister. "You have kids and we never knew." Aria spoke more to herself than to her sister, she let out a long sigh, realisation hitting her; "We waited too long, didn't we?"

"Yeah, you did." Callie looked up to see Arizona standing in the doorway.

"Sorry babe, did we wake you?" Callie asked with concern as she made room for Arizona beside her.

"No this one seems to think I don't need sleep." Arizona rubbed her swollen abdomen as she crossed the room and sat carefully beside Callie.

"It's probably a little uncomfortable in there by now." Callie soothed as she draped her arms around the blonde.

"Good, come out then!" she groaned with a slight glare directed at her stomach.

Callie laughed, "You can't rush perfection babe." She rubbed soothing circles across Arizona's large bump. "Aria, this is Arizona, Ari this is my big sister Aria."

"Hi," Aria said quietly, loitering uncomfortably by the photos. "I'm sorry Cal."

"I'm assuming you're here at this hour for something in particular and not just for a catch up?" Callie said waving off her sister's apology.

"Dad was killed in a car accident, I just didn't want you to hear it through the grapevine, or over the phone, I figured you deserved that much." Aria said quietly.

"When?"

"It was a little over a week ago, mum's a wreck, Maria is watching her while I'm here, I flew out here after the wake."

"Thanks for coming." There was a finality in Callie's tone, Aria knew she was being told to leave.

"Cal, I'm sorry about all of this, I don't want to ignore you, I've missed you." Aria said.

"Had you come a few years earlier I would have accepted, but it's been too long."

"Cal, please, at least call mum, she misses you, it might even cheer her up."

"I'll think about it." Callie nodded as Aria saw herself out with a nod of farewell.

There was a lingering silence which was broken finally by Arizona. "Are you ok?"

"I lost my father years ago," Callie nodded.

"What about your mother?" Arizona asked gently.

"I don't know, I love my mum, she was the best when we were growing up, but she went along with everything, she disowned my because he told her to, she never even spoke to me about it, all I got was silence, years of it."

"People make mistakes babe, maybe it's time to forgive her?"

"I guess." Callie sighed letting her head fall back against the back rest of the couch. They lapsed into silence once more, enjoying the rare peace in their home.

"Mummy! Where are you?" A small voice called from the top of the stairs.

"I'll be right back." Callie whispered kissing Arizona's temple and she slid of the couch. "I'm here Caiti, what's up?" Callie asked from the bottom of the stairs looking up to her little girl.

"I couldn't find you, or mama." She replied walking down the stairs to hug Callie.

"Sorry, I was on the couch with mama, did you have a bad dream?" Callie pulled her daughter into her arms, lifting her up, she smoothed her long dark curls, placing a kiss on the top of her head as the little girl nodded. "Wanna tell me about it?" Caiti shook her head and buried her face in her mother's curls. "Ok, let's go sit with mama then, or did you wake your brother too?"

"She woke Lincoln too, I can grab him if you want?" Callie looked up to see Arizona's goddaughter, Sarah rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"You can go back to bed if you want hun, I'll get him."

"It's fine, I'm awake now." Sarah replied with a dismissive wave as she padded down the hallway to get Lincoln.

"Apparently everyone's awake now." Callie smiled as she reclaimed her seat beside Arizona and settled Caiti on her lap.

"Morning mama, morning baby," Caiti greeted.

"Morning baby girl," Arizona smiled tiredly.

"Morning Ari," Sarah said as she sat in the armchair opposite Callie and Arizona, moving Lincoln from her hip to her lap.

"Morning hun, what are you doing up so early?"

"I heard you guys talking, there was someone else here though right?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry if Aria woke you." Callie told her.

"It's ok. I couldn't sleep anyway." Sarah shrugged.

"Come here," Arizona patted the space beside her, "Are you ok?" She asked putting her arm around Sarah's shoulders and hugging her.

"I'll be ok." She replied quietly.

"What's up?"

"I miss her." There was a quiver to Sarah's voice, Arizona didn't have to look at her face to know she was holding back tears.

"I know, so do I." Arizona placed a kiss on the top of Sarah's head and pulled her closer. Callie quietly collected the two younger children and took them through to the kitchen, closing the door behind her. Sarah shifted slightly so her head rested on Arizona's shoulder and circled her arms around Arizona. Neither of them felt the need to speak, each lost in their own thoughts.

_Arizona sat in a large office, she looked around but didn't really take anything in, all she could see was the image of Angela, her best friend, lying motionless in her casket, it was burned into her memory. She sat beside Angela's mother, neither of them hearing what the lawyer was saying, only one sentence penetrated Arizona's grief clouded mind. "Soul custody of Sarah Elizabeth Johns passes to her godmother, Arizona Robbins." Suddenly Arizona's head shot up._

"_What?"_

"_Is there a problem with that Ms. Robbins?"_

"_No, it's just – unexpected." She paused and looked to Angela's mother. "You don't mind, do you?"_

"_No, I'm too old to raise another child, and Angie chose you." Arizona nodded._

_The lawyer finished the reading without Arizona really taking much further notice, her thoughts buzzing with the realisation that she was now entirely responsible for a twelve year old girl._

_xxxx_

_Sarah followed Arizona into her house, she looked around, it was bigger than it looked on the outside and very comfortable not one of those magazine houses that was too perfect and thus almost impossible to live in. Arizona gave her a quick tour which ended in the kitchen._

"_Sarah, honey, this is Callie, my girlfriend, she lives here too."_

"_Hi, want something to eat?" Callie smiled motioning to the array of sandwich fillings and bread before her._

"_Sure." Sarah replied._

"_Just watch what she puts on your sandwich, Cal's had some weird flavour ideas lately." Arizona warned with a smile._

"_It's not my fault you didn't appreciate the genius of apple sauce and tuna ice cream." Callie laughed._

"_Sorry Sarah, Callie's a little crazy at the moment," Arizona explained with a smile, "It's the baby that's doing it."_

"_You're having a baby Callie?" Sarah asked with interest, Callie nodded. "Cool."_

Sarah shifted slightly bringing Arizona out of her thoughts, she could smell Callie's cooking skills wafting through the house. "Let's go have breakfast then we can curl up on the couch all day and watch movies, ok?" Sarah nodded, wiping her tear stained face.

"Thanks Ari." She lifted herself off the couch then turned to help Arizona up as well.

"Anytime hun," She hugged Sarah across the shoulders once more and led her into the kitchen.

Knowing from experience what Arizona and Sarah's plans would be Callie declared the she was taking Caiti and Lincoln out for the day. Arizona smiled gratefully at Callie, normally she would have taken Sarah out for the day but with her due date so close they all knew it was wiser for her to stay in. After breakfast Callie tidied the kitchen, dressed the two younger children and put them into the car.

"Have fun you two." She called as she left.

TBC

Please review :-)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey, thanks for all the reviews :-) Don't worry there's more of their past coming and we haven't seen the last of Aria. Well here's the next chapter – enjoy, and please review.

**Chapter 2**

"Park!" Caiti yelled looking out the window of the car.

"Ok, we'll go to the park." Callie laughed as she pulled up beside the park. As she took Caiti and Lincoln out of the car, strapping Lincoln into his stroller she didn't notice the black SUV that pulled up a little further down the road. It wasn't until she was pushing Caiti on the swing that she noticed anyone else was there at all. A tall woman with long dark hair tied back in a messy ponytail was making her way across the park toward Callie.

"Aria, it's too late, you waited too long." Callie told her, shaking her head.

"These are your kids? What are their names?" Aria asked, ignoring her sister's displeasure.

"This is Caitlyn and Lincoln." Callie told her.

"They're so cute, how old are they?"

"Caiti is almost four, Lincoln is two."

"I can't believe you didn't tell us you had kids," Aria said shaking her head.

"Oh, did I forget to mention them in all those long phone calls and emails?" Callie asked sarcastically.

"Mummy, push!" Caiti whined as her swing came to a halt.

"I'll ring mum later. Goodbye Aria." Callie said turning back to Caiti and continuing to push her on the swing.

"Please Cal, don't just shut me out!" The harshness in Aria's tone caused Lincoln to whimper, shaking her head at her sister Callie quickly lifted him from his stroller, bouncing him on her

hip.

"You should have thought of that before you ignored me for six years."

"I'm sorry Cal, but you know dad."

"Well I thought I did."

"Look, I have to go back home tomorrow, please, don't let us leave it like this, can we have dinner or something?"

"Not this time Aria." Callie shook her head resolutely.

"Ok," Aria sighed, "Well, bye then," she finished quietly and walked back to her car.

"How would you two like to go to the zoo?" Callie asked once Aria had gone.

"Really?" Caiti asked with excitement.

"Yeah, come on, back to the car." Callie pushed Lincoln's stroller while Caiti ran in circles around them.

xxxxx

Callie sighed in relief as she pulled Lincoln's blankets up to cover him, she kissed his forehead lightly before leaving the room. Passing by the door of Caiti's room she made sure that she too was still asleep before making her way back downstairs. In the lounge room Arizona and Sarah had fallen asleep watching something, but Callie couldn't tell from the credits that now rolled over the screen. She picked up the remote and turned the television off then left them in peace as she went through to the kitchen to make dinner.

"Need any help Cal?" Sarah asked, coming through to the kitchen a few minutes later.

"Sure, can you peel the potatoes?" Sarah nodded and took a seat on one of the stools by the bench; Callie passed her the potatoes and a peeler. "Feeling better?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah, thanks."

"So have you thought about what you want to do for your birthday?" Callie asked wanting to change the subject to something happier.

"I'll probably just invite the girls 'round to watch movies or whatever." She shrugged.

"You don't want to have a party? Or go out for dinner with the girls?" Callie asked. "It's your sweet sixteenth, you can't do nothing."

"Maybe, I'll talk to them at school on Monday."

"Ok."

"What did you do for your sixteenth birthday?"

"My dad threw me a party at his newest restaurant, it was the grand opening actually." Callie replied awkwardly.

"Ask her what her present was." Arizona chuckled as she walked in and leant on the bench beside Callie.

"What was it?" Sarah asked with interest.

"The restaurant, my dad ran it but I got the money from it, it was my trust fund – he named it Calliope's, he did the same thing for my sister on her sixteenth birthday."

"You got a restaurant for your birthday, seriously?"

"Yeah, it's still going as far as I know." Callie shrugged.

"Where are the little ones?" Arizona asked looking around.

"Asleep, I tired them out today."

"Where did you take them?"

"We started off at the park, but we were followed so I took them to the zoo instead."

"Followed?" Arizona asked worriedly.

"Aria."

"Did you talk to her this time?"

"She wanted to have dinner tonight, she has to back to Miami tomorrow, I said no."

"Don't you think it's been long enough, it's time to forgive them." Arizona urged.

"I don't know." Callie sighed and turned her attention back to the vegetables in front of her.

xxxxxx

Callie stared at the phone, the numbers on the screen burning in her vision, taking a deep breath she hut the final button and held the phone to her ear, waiting for the call to connect, it

rang, once, twice, three times...

"Torres residence,"

"Maria?"

"Yes, who's this?"

"It's Calliope, can I talk to my mother?"

"You've got a lot of nerve calling here."

"Please, Maria." In the background Callie could hear her mother asking who was on the phone. "It's Calliope." She heard her Aunt's muffled reply, there was a brief argument in Spanish and Callie was fairly sure the phone got dropped.

"Calliope?"

"Hi mum."

"I'm so sorry for the way we acted, I tried to make your father see reason but he just wouldn't." Callie could hear the tears in her mother's voice as she spoke.

"I know." Callie replied a lump forming in her own throat.

"Are you well? Are you happy?"

"I am, very much so."

"Can I come and visit you? I can't stay here any longer."

"It's a little crazy here at the moment," Callie warned her mother, still unsure if she was ready to forgive her.

"I don't mind, I could use a bit of distraction at the moment, please Calliope, I've missed you."

"Ok, let me know when you get here and I'll pick you up."

"I'll be there tomorrow." She could hear a smile in her mother's voice as she spoke.

"Ok, see you then." She hung up the phone and went to find Arizona.

TBC

Please review :-)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, for now I'm going to try my best to get one chapter up a day and as much written each day as I can, I'm making the most of my work free time – I've been told not to come in until further notice all because my sister has swine flu – loving it (and my sister is fine, honestly, she's cleaning her room but teenagers do that occasionally right?...)

Also I've just realised that as yet to add a disclaimer so: I do not own any of the Grey's characters, I'm making no money from this and I mean no harm, I just want to play with them for a little while and promise to return them unscathed, please don't sue.

**Chapter 3**

"Cal, wake up!" Arizona shoved Callie as she spoke.

"What's up babe?" Callie asked sleepily.

"Hospital, now." Callie shot out of bed helping Arizona up carefully and grabbing her bag.

"Ok, I'm just going to wake Sarah, I'll be right back." Arizona nodded as Callie hurried from the room. "Sarah, wake up hun." Callie gently shook Sarah's shoulder. "I have to take Ari to the hospital, can you keep an ear on Lincoln and Caiti for me? I'll send someone to pick you up in a couple of hours, ok?"

"Sure." Sarah smiled sleepily.

"Thanks hun, we'll see you in a bit." Callie walked back to Arizona who'd made it to the banister by the top of the stairs. She quickly grabbed Arizona's bag from the bedroom then returned to help her down the stairs.

xxxxxx

"Ladies, how's it going?" Mark asked leaning in the doorway of Arizona's room Caiti on his back.

"Slowly." Arizona groaned as Sarah appeared behind Mark pushing Lincoln's stroller.

"Thanks for picking them up Mark." Callie said with a smile as Sarah took a seat at the edge of the room, carefully parking the stroller so it didn't clog up the limited space of the room.

"No problem Cal, I'll check back in a couple of hours ok?" Mark Put Caiti down and waved as he left. Caiti took a seat beside Sarah leaning over to rest her head in the older girl's lap with a yawn.

"Good morning Dr. Robbins, let's check to see how you're doing." Dr Peters, Arizona's OB/GYN said as she walked over to Arizona's bedside. "So how are you feeling?"

"Uncomfortable." She replied with a slight whine to her voice. Dr. Peters smiled as she checked Arizona over.

"Well it shouldn't be too much longer now, just a couple of centimetres more, I'll have one of my residents come through in a minute to monitor you, ok?" Arizona nodded as the smiling woman left.

The resident came to monitor Arizona as promised, he eyed the two attendings nervously and Callie had to fight to hold back a laugh, she remembered shouting at him on several occasions for his incompetence and she was fairly sure Arizona had done the same thing. Callie was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of her phone, one of her hands was held tightly by Arizona but she quickly reached for her phone with her free hand.

"Hello?"

"Calliope, I'm in Seattle." She heard her mother's voice.

'Crap' Callie mouthed. "I can't pick you up at the moment, are you able to grab a taxi? I'm at Seattle Grace Hospital, call me when you get here."

"See you soon Calliope." Callie put her phone away, turning back to Arizona.

"So my mum's on her way."

"Dr. Robbins, I'm just going to get Dr. Peters, you're almost ready." He quickly left the room.

"Sarah could you take the little ones down to the cafeteria, I don't think you're going to want to see this." Callie suggested. Sarah nodded waking Caiti she started toward the door. "Here." Callie tossed her wallet to Sarah as she left.

"Ok, let's get this show on the road." She smiled encouragingly. "On the next contraction I want you to push, ok?" Arizona nodded.

xxxxx

Helena Torres stood at the entrance of Seattle Grace, she looked around, taking in the scenery before stepping inside and pulling out her cell phone, the line barely rang before she was put through to her daughter's message bank, with a sigh she ended the call and looked around wondering where she would look for her daughter. Sighing she made her way over to the collection of chairs and took a seat hoping that whatever was occupying Callie would be done quickly. Several minutes later she received a text '_Go to waiting room on 2__nd__ floor, be there soon'_

Helena took a seat in the second floor waiting room hoping Callie would be quick, she was getting bored of waiting, she was no good at waiting. She looked around the waiting room, there was a group of people waiting off to her left, a number of them, she noted, were doctors, they watched the closed door of a room across from the waiting room with growing impatience. A Small girl broke away from the group, she had long dark curls, caramel skin and enormous deep brown eyes, she was quickly caught by a teenage girl with dark auburn hair tied back in a messy bun. The small girl struggled against the older one finally getting free of her hold. "Caiti, come back!" A tall man, one of the doctors, followed Caiti lifting her up easily and holding her tight he spoke to her in a voice too quiet for Helena to hear.

Helena was watching the group to her left so intently that she almost missed her daughter's approach – or she would have had the group not noticed her immediately. She followed the direction of their collective gaze and was surprised to see her daughter holding a newborn. Callie approached the assembled group, stopping beside the teenager with auburn hair. "Let me introduce to you all our newest addition, Elizabeth Angela Torres-Robbins." Callie told them holding the tiny baby for everyone to see as they all crowded around her.

"Elizabeth Angela?" Helena heard the girl beside Callie ask in surprise as she moved closer to the group.

Callie nodded, a wide smile plastered across her face as she listened to the group tell her how beautiful the newborn was, all of them promising to stop by for a visit later as they drifted away.

"Calliope?" Helena said quietly once almost the entire group had left; only the teenager, the tall man and the two small children remained.

"Mum, hi," Callie smiled.

"I think I've missed something – or a couple of somethings." Helena said quietly looking around the small group.

"Good luck Cal." The man smirked, "I'll be back later to see Blondie." He put Caiti down and walked away.

Callie pulled a face at his retreating back before turning to her mother, she took a deep breath, "Yeah, so let me explain."

TBC

Please review :-)


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hey, thanks again for all the reviews, I love you guys!! Also I have to go back to work tomorrow – I'm no longer quarantined, so updates may take a little longer from here on out but hopefully I should still manage a couple each week at least. :-) So here's chapter 4...

**Chapter 4**

Callie led the group into Arizona's room, she gently placed Elizabeth into the crib beside Arizona's bed. Arizona had drifted into a light sleep after her exertion but stirred as they entered. "Sorry we woke you babe." Callie whispered tenderly wiping a lock of Arizona's sweat soaked hair from her face.

"'S'okay." Arizona mumbled, still mostly asleep.

"I'm going to take everyone home, I'll be back later ok?" She placed a soft kiss to the blonde's lips, Arizona nodded. "Ok, quickly say hello to mama, then we have to go and let her sleep ok?" Callie lifted Lincoln and Caiti up to sit on either side of Arizona. The blonde pulled the two children close to her, placing a kiss on the tops of each of their heads.

"You're not coming home mama?" Caiti asked.

"Not just yet baby girl, mama has to stay here with Lizzie for a few days." Callie explained, Caiti looked worried, "It's ok, mama will be home very soon." She assured her.

"Mama," Lincoln mumbled curling himself closer into Arizona's side.

"Hey my little man," She smiled placing several quick kisses to the top of his dark hair.

"Ok, let's go, mama needs to sleep." Callie said as she helped Caiti down from Arizona's bed then leant over to pick up Lincoln. "I'll get one of the nurses to take Lizzie down to the nursery so you can sleep properly."

"Thanks babe." Callie leaned down to kiss Arizona once more.

"I'll see you tonight ok?" Arizona nodded with I smile as Callie took hold of Caiti's hand and led her from the room, Lincoln still on her hip. Helena followed her daughter and waited outside the door with her for Sarah who had lingered to speak with Arizona for a moment. "I'll be right back." Callie told her mother, who nodded still unsure of everything going on around her. Callie walked over to the nurses' station and asked for one of them to move Lizzie, a small brunette nodded and walked toward Arizona's room as the other nurses all gushed, telling Callie just how cute they all thought Lizzie was. Thanking them with a smile Callie made her way back to her mother just as Sarah emerged from the blonde's room. "Let's go." Callie said leading the group toward the car.

"So I should probably at least introduce you to everyone." Callie said with a chuckle as she backed the car out of its space. Helena nodded and waited for her daughter to continue. "So, we have Sarah, Caiti and Lincoln, guys this is my mum."

"Hi," Helena said looking at the three children through the rear view mirror, Caiti looked at her with some confusion, Sarah nodded with a smile and Lincoln continued staring out the window at the passing buildings.

xxxxxx

"So, a lot's changed since I saw you." Callie sighed sitting down across from her mother at the kitchen table a steaming mug of coffee in front of each woman.

"I can see that," Helena agreed, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"You shut me out, I tried for months to get through to all of you before I gave up, I decided to wait for you to find me." Callie explained.

"I'm sorry it took so long." Helena offered feebly, but Callie waved her apology aside too happy after the day's events to pay attention to a feud that should have been forgotten.

"So while it's quiet I'll fill you in on everything." Callie said, revelling in the temporary calm of the house. "Where should I start?"

"How did you meet Arizona?" Callie laughed at the memory before relating the story to Helena. "And the children?" Helena asked once Callie had finished.

"We'd been together for a year and a half, we both knew we wanted children so we started looking into sperm donation, we talked about it and decided that I'd carry our first child. So that's how we got Caiti."

"What's her full name?" Helena asked.

"Caitlyn Rose Robbins-Torres, it was such an easy pregnancy and she was the best baby." Callie smiled.

"Do you have photos?"

"Yeah, hang on." Callie went to the lounge room and returned a few moments later with two large photo albums, she placed them down on the table and sat beside her mother. "So that's Caiti just after she was born, and that's all of us together at the hospital, and that one's my favourite, it was taken just after we first brought her home." Callie pointed to the picture, it showed Callie, Arizona and Sarah sitting on the couch with Caiti in Callie's arms.

"So where did Sarah come from?"

"She's Arizona's goddaughter; her mother passed away a few years ago, her grandmother is the only blood family she has left, Sarah spends a few weeks with her grandmother each year but Angela – Sarah's mother – chose Ari as her guardian. So Sarah's been here with us since then, she's a good kid, very quiet, nothing like Aria or I at her age." Callie grinned at the face her mother pulled.

"You two turned my hair grey overnight with that Mexico stunt." She shook her head as Callie laughed.

"Never tell my children about that, I don't want them to get any ideas!" Callie laughed. Helena pulled the photo album away from Callie and started flicking through it, pausing to ask questions of various pictures, listening to the stories Callie had to share. Finally she reached the end of the first album and opened the second, "So that's Lincoln?" she asked pointing to a picture of a newborn wrapped in a blue blanket.

"Yeah, Ari really wanted a little boy, she wanted to carry our second baby but she miscarried twice, it was hard, but we really wanted a little boy so I carried Lincoln as well." Callie's voice filled with sorrow as she thought of the two miscarriages.

"Why Lincoln?"

"He's named after Ari's little brother, he was killed in Iraq about a year before Ari and I met."

"They were close?"

"There was only a year between them, they were inseparable growing up from what Ari tells me, there are photos of him in the lounge room."

"It was sweet of you to name your son after her brother," Helena commented.

"He's Ari's son too, just like Caiti and Lizzie are _our_ daughters." Callie explained.

"Yes but _biologically-_" Helena began before Callie cut her off.

"No, they're all our children, who carried them means nothing, they're ours." Callie finished.

"Ok." Helena deferred, not wanting to try Callie's patience when their relationship was still so fragile. "So are you planning on having more children?" she asked changing the subject.

"I don't think so, we were going to stop after Lincoln, but Ari really wanted to go through the whole pregnancy thing so we decided on one more, Ari was so afraid of miscarrying again, she was so careful through the whole pregnancy and now we have Lizzie." Callie couldn't help but smile broadly at the thought of their youngest daughter.

"Hey Cal, it's four, if you want to visit Ari you should go before it gets too late." Sarah said coming down the stairs in her soccer kit, zipping up her hoodie.

"Thanks, we'll go in a minute, do you want a lift to practice?" Callie asked as she collected the two empty mugs from the table and put them in the sink.

"No thanks, I was planning on jogging there. I'll see you for dinner, say hi to Ari for me." Callie nodded as Sarah walked outside and began jogging down the side of the house.

"I'll watch the younger ones for you while you go." Helena offered.

"Thanks, Lincoln should wake up soon and Caiti will keep playing happily, if they get too restless put one of their movies on, Caiti will tell you which one."

"We'll be fine, just go." She assured her.

"Ok, see you soon." Callie grabbed her bag and headed for the front door, waving to Caiti as she passed the lounge room. "Be good baby girl," she pulled the front door shut.

TBC

Please review.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, you guys make me happy :-)

**Chapter 5**

"Hey babe, how are you feeling?" Callie asked as she walked over to Arizona and placed a kiss to her lips.

"Better now you're here." Arizona smiled sweetly at Callie. "The nurse is just about to bring Lizzie back in here."

"Yay," Callie smiled taking hold of Arizona's hand as she sat down on the chair beside the bed.

"Where's everyone else?"

"Sarah's at soccer, she says hi by the way, and Caiti and Lincoln are with my mum."

"You guys made up?"

"Sort of, I'm still mad at her, I just can't be mad today." Arizona nodded in agreement as the nurse wheeled Lizzie's crib back into the room.

"Thank you." Arizona said as Callie picked the newborn up.

"She's so beautiful Ari, she looks just like you." Callie whispered as she cradled Lizzie close to her chest for a long moment before passing her to Arizona's waiting arms.

"Come sit with us." The blonde patted the space beside her which Callie quickly took, her arms going around Arizona, pulling her close.

Several minutes later Lizzie began to stir her small cry filling the silent room. "Dinner time," Arizona said.

"Need some help?" Callie asked as Arizona began pulling at her top unsuccessfully. Callie took Lizzie in her arms allowing Arizona to free herself before handing the baby back to her. Callie watched closely as Arizona fed Lizzie.

"You right there, just staring?" Arizona laughed.

"You did it to me." Callie countered as Arizona rolled her eyes.

xxxxxx

Callie was just about to leave the hospital as her phone began ringing, fumbling through her bag she pulled it out and answered it. "Hello?"

"Callie, did you leave Lincoln and Caiti with a sitter?" asked Sam, Arizona's mother.

"What? Why?" Callie asked entirely bewildered.

"I'm at the airport, I was on my way out to get a taxi, and there's a woman here with two children – I'm sure it's them."

"What? You're sure?"

"I think so, did you leave them with a sitter?"

"I left them with my mother, you're sure it's them?"

"Callie, I'm sure, she's trying to take them to...hang on...Miami by the looks of it."

"Stop her, I'm on my way there now, keep her there!" Callie said throwing her phone back into her bag and running the rest of the way to her car.

xxxxx

Callie ran into the airport realising she had no clue where to look for her mother, however almost immediately she found them. Samantha Robbins was taller than her daughter with the same colouring and an imposing air about her, she stood facing Helena, a full two heads shorter than herself, with the two children caught between the two women. A security officer stood nearby at a loss as to how to defuse the situation as the two women glared intently at each other.

"Ma'am, do you know these women?" the security officer said as Callie approached.

"I do, those are my children they're fighting over." Callie told him, as she caught Caiti's eye. Callie held her finger to her lips motioning for her to stay quiet before beckoning them toward her. Caiti grabbed Lincoln's hand and pulled him roughly toward their mother. "Are you both ok?" she whispered, kneeling down between them, they nodded. With her children safely in her arms Callie looked to her mother. "What the hell?" she asked.

"Live however you want Calliope, but do not force your children to bear witness to your sins!" Helena spat, the niceties of earlier all but forgotten.

"You can't just take someone else's children, you fool of a woman!" Samantha yelled.

"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to take this somewhere else." The security officer told her quietly, Callie sighed in exasperation.

"Mum, get on that plane, go back to Miami – I'll call you when I'm ready to talk." Callie shook her head. "Sam, let's go." Sam nodded and followed Callie out of the terminal toward the car.

"I didn't think you spoke to your family Callie?" Sam said quietly once they were in the car.

"I haven't for years, but yesterday my sister came by, begging me to call my mum, I did and this morning she was in Seattle. I was still so mad at my sister, but she didn't pretend to be ok about our lifestyle, my mum did, I thought maybe we could patch things up, apparently not." Callie shook her head, laughing at the lunacy of her mother's actions.

"I hate to say this about your mother Callie, but some people aren't worth your time."

"Yeah, thanks for calling me."

"I thought I was going crazy at first, I was so sure you were just going to laugh and tell me you had them right in front of you."

"I thought you were going crazy too, I thought of all people, I could trust my mother, I'm so not letting them out of my sight ever again!"

"That might be a little extreme, we'll just keep them away from your family." Sam said, trying to make light.

"That's nothing new." Callie replied bitterly.

"I'm sorry Cal, I wish I could tell you a way to make it better."

"Thanks."

"So how's Ari doing?" Sam asked deciding to change the topic entirely.

"Great, I just went to see her, wait til you see Lizzie, she's just amazing." Callie smiled widely and did so for the rest of their trip home as Sam continued to occupy her with questions.

TBC

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	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews!!! Sorry it's been a while, I had a slight altercation with my mother, which resulted in the loss of my computer, which in turn caused a lot of anger on my part as I'm an adult, and the computer is _mine_, anyway – sorry it's been so long, I'll try to be a little quicker, but no guarantee as term started back today...

**Chapter 6**

Callie was woken suddenly by the sound of her cell phone, she looked at the screen _Aria_, sighing she rejected the call and tried to get back to sleep. It was a few minutes before a message told her Aria had left a message for her, but Callie was determined not to hear it, after years of missing them she felt she'd heard enough from her family in the last twenty-four hours to last her for some time. However as sleep still refused to claim her Callie found herself reaching for the phone.

"Cal, look I know you told me to stay away, and I know you hate me right now for what mum tried to do, but I swear, I had no idea she'd do that, I'm so sorry." Aria paused to take a deep breath, "I meant what I said Cal, I don't want us to live like this, please talk to me, call me back, ok?" Callie replayed the message, cautious to trust anyone from her family again.

xxxxxx

"Did you sleep at all Callie?" Sam asked sitting at the bench, watching as Callie prepared breakfast for everyone.

"Aria rang, I didn't answer but she left a message, it sounds sincere but..." Callie trailed off not really knowing what to say.

"Talk to her, who knows, maybe she really does just want her sister back?"

"But what if she tries to take the kids like my mother did?"

"She can't kidnap them over the phone Cal, just talk to her, don't see her face to face until you can trust her, ok?" Callie nodded, turning her attention back to breakfast.

"Mummy! Nanny!" Caiti yelled running to hug both women.

"Morning baby girl." Callie grinned lifting her up. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yup, can we go see mama today?"

"We are going to see mama today, and if you're a really good girl you might even get to hold Lizzie on your lap."

"Really?" Caiti asked, bouncing up and down.

"Yup." Callie smiled, "But you have to eat all your breakfast ok?"

xxxxxx

"I'm going to take the kids to the cafeteria so you two can talk ok?" Sam told Callie quietly as Arizona supervised Caiti as she held Lizzie.

"Thanks." Callie nodded passing her Lincoln. "Caiti, nanny's going to take you to get something to eat ok?" Callie told her as Arizona lifted Lizzie from her lap and placed her back in her crib.

"Ok, bye," She waved as she took her grandmother's hand and left.

"What happened?" Arizona asked as soon as they were gone.

"My mother is gone, she tried to take Caiti and Lincoln away from us, I never should have left them with her."

"How did you find out?"

"You mum saw her at the airport with them, talk about perfect timing." Callie sighed pulling Arizona into her, "We nearly lost them." She whispered, trying to hold back the tears that welled at her eyes.

Arizona searched for the words to sooth Callie but came up at a loss, so she simply leaned further into the brunette's embrace.

After a long silence Callie lifted her hear from Arizona's shoulder, wiping away her tears, "Aria called me last night." She said quietly.

"What did she have to say?" Callie explained the message and the conversation she'd had with Samantha that morning. "So are you going to talk to her?" the blonde probed gently.

"I don't know, we used to be so close, and I have missed her, but-" she faltered, searching desperately for the words, "I don't know," she finished looking dissatisfied with her words.

"I say call her, but it's up to you, do whatever you think is right, ok?"

"I think I will, thank you."

"Knock knock," The two women looked up to see Sarah in the doorway. "Sam wants to know if she can bring the little ones back in now, Lincoln's getting restless."

"Yeah, of course," Callie nodded. "We should probably go soon anyway, the kids spend enough time here, they're sick of it." Callie smiled apologetically at Arizona, who nodded.

"I know, I'm getting super bored though, I don't even have any paperwork to do, because I finished it all before my maternity leave started." Arizona pouted. "I tried to convince Dr Peters to let me go home early, I'm fine, but she said the day after tomorrow at the earliest."

Callie laughed, do you want me to come by this afternoon with some things for you to do?" she offered.

"Please, and my laptop?"

"Sure." Callie nodded as their family returned. "Ok, quick, say goodbye to mama and we'll go home, ok?"

The two smaller children clamoured for Arizona's attention, she waited for Callie to lift them onto the bed before hugging them close, "I'm going to miss you, so make sure mummy and nanny bring you to see me again tomorrow ok?" she told themn with a smile.

"I will mama." Caiti assured her.

"When can you come home Ari?" Sarah asked.

"Day after tomorrow hopefully, so enjoy the quiet, because Lizzie is loud." She chuckled.

"Ari, Dakota is coming up this weekend, to meet Lizzie, she's bringing Amelia but the boys are going to stay with Brad, ok?" Sam said as the others started leaving the room. Arizona nodded.

"See you all later." She waved, watching them disappear around the corner, leaving her room in silence momentarily – then Lizzie started to cry.

TBC

Please review.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: So updates are going to get a little sporadic from here on out, I'm back at school, and even though I have a light class load it's time-consuming and add into that work and my super crazy social life, and seeing my family occasionally...well I don't get much time at all to write fanfiction, but I'm determined to finish this one, I will not abandon it – and I have a couple of others in the works – so stick with me :-) ok here's chapter 7.

**Chapter 7**

Callie sat in the study, everyone else had gone to bed and the house was quiet,she had Aria's number displayed on the screen of her phone, she wondered if it was too late to call her sister, she knew Aria probably wasn't asleep but she was still unsure if she really was ready to forgive her sister, especially so soon after she'd misjudged her mother's intentions. She wanted to trust her sister, she wanted them to be friends like they had been growing up, and she had missed her family in the years they'd been absent from her life. She hit the 'send' button and held the phone to her ear, hoping that her sister would answer.

"Cal?"

"Sorry, did I wake you? I'll call back later-"

"Cal, it's fine, I'm awake."

"Right, so I got your message," Callie began, unsure of how to end the silence that had consumed their relationship.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry, you have to believe me, I honestly had no idea what mum was planning – I just thought she wanted to be back in your life."

"I believe you Aria, I know it wasn't your fault." There was a pause, both women unsure of how to continue.

"So mum said that Arizona had the baby?" Aria asked, figuring that even with the brief mention of their mother, the baby was a safe topic.

"Yes, Lizzie was born yesterday, around the same time that mum arrived actually," Callie said, quickly following up with a detailed description of Lizzie and the promise of several photos.

The two sisters fell into an easy conversation, catching each other up on the years they'd missed, Callie found it difficult to be mad at Aria, she knew that her sister had been bullied into ignoring her, she'd always thought her mother had been too though.

"Aria?" Callie asked suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"You don't really have a problem with Ari do you?"

"I barely met her Cal, she seemed a little grumpy, but she was very pregnant and she'd only just gotten up – plus after everything I didn't really expect her to love me straight away," she replied, sounding confused.

"No, I mean that she's a woman, you know?"

"Cal, I know we were raised to think it's wrong, but I'm not sure I do, and if she makes you happy then who am I to complain?" There was an honesty in Aria's voice that Callie hadn't noticed the last time they'd spoken and it made her smile.

"Mummy?" The door swung open several inches as Caiti appeared in the gap, her long curls sleep-mussed and her pyjamas on.

"Hang on one moment Aria," Callie said before resting the receiver of the phone against her shoulder. "What's up baby girl?" she asked gently, patting her knee for the little girl to sit on.

Caiti quickly crossed the room and clambered into her mother's lap, "I can't sleep." She mumbled as she snuggled against Callie.

"Ok, do you want to sleep in mummy's bed tonight?" Caiti nodded, almost asleep against Callie already. Callie chuckled as she placed the phone back to her ear, "I have to go, Caiti can't sleep, I'll talk to you again soon, ok?"

"Sure, go be a mummy – that still seems weird to me by the way." Aria chuckled at the noise Callie made. "Thanks for calling me Cal." She added seriously.

"I'm glad I did." Callie agreed.

"Goodnight Cal."

"Night." She put the phone back down on the bench before carefully lifting herself and a now sleeping Caiti out of the chair.

Callie switched off the remaining lights as she made her way back to her bedroom, pausing briefly at the door of Lincoln's room to check on him. Her little boy sat in the centre of his new 'big boy' bed with his favourite teddy bear in hand, staring into the light of the hallway at his mother. "You want to sleep in mummy's bed too Lin?" Callie asked with a smile. Although he couldn't speak past a few words Callie knew that Lincoln understood perfectly what she'd asked him and so was unsurprised when he carefully slid off his bed, teddy still in hand, and followed her to her bedroom. After laying Caiti on Arizona's side of the bed Callie lifted Lincoln up onto her own side of the bed then, after quickly changing into her pyjamas she made herself comfortable in the centre of the bed, and with the two children snuggled close to her on either side she soon fell into a deep and peaceful slumber.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

A piercing ring pulled Callie abruptly from her slumber, still fogged by sleep she grabbed at the phone, answering it.

"Hello?"

"You weren't still asleep were you Calliope, really?" Arizona's voice asked her with a giggle.

"It's early, and Caiti and Lin are still asleep, so there."

"It's almost ten, that is _not_ early, and that pair are as bad as you, honestly, you'd never get up if it weren't for me." Arizona chided with a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, so is this just a wake-up call or did you need me to bring you something?"

"I convinced Peters to let me out of here, can you come get me, soon, _please_?"

"Sure, I'll get your mum to watch the kids and I'll drive over in an hour or so, ok?"

"Thanks babe."

"What was I going to do, leave you and Lizzie at the hospital?" Callie joked.

"I'll see you soon." Arizona said as she hung up.

Callie put the phone back on the nightstand before looking at Caiti and Lincoln fast asleep on either side of her. "Alright, time to get up munchkins!"

"Why?" Caiti groaned, not opening her eyes.

"Mama said so." Callie told her seriously.

"No Mama." Lincoln mumbled.

Sighing Callie placed a hand on each of them and began tickling them mercilessly, smiling as their helpless giggles filled the room. "Right, now you're both awake, up!" Callie ordered once she stopped tickling them. The two children grumbled loudly as she helped them off the bed. "Ok, let's get you both dressed then we'll see what we can do about breakfast." Callie led the children out of her room and down the hallway, "Caiti, see how much you can do on your own while I help Lin ok?" Caiti nodded eagerly and ran into her room.

With both children dressed Callie entered the kitchen to find Sam busily making breakfast, and Sarah sitting at the bench talking to her. Sam turned at the sound of Caiti and Lincoln running toward her. "Good morning, did you have a good sleep?" she asked, kneeling down to hug them both.

"Morning." Callie hugged Sarah across the shoulders quickly as she greeted her and Sam.

"Morning Cal, just." She laughed.

"I'd still be in bed except Ari rang." Callie laughed.

"Is everything ok?" Sam asked, looking worried.

"Yeah, she's convinced Dr. Peters to release her today instead of tomorrow, so I'm going to head over there and pick her up – if you don't mind watching the kids that is?"

"Of course not, do you want breakfast first?"

"I think Ari's pretty desperate to get home, I'll eat when we get back, but thanks." Callie grinned and she grabbed her purse and car keys from the bench. "Want to come for the drive Sarah?" Callie asked, noticing she'd already finished her breakfast.

"Sure," she nodded, following Callie out the door.

"Be good, you two!" Callie called over her shoulder to Lincoln and Caiti as she left.

TBC

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